History | Smithsonian Magazine

Secrets of Europe's Oldest Modern Humans Revealed

Genome sequencing shows some individuals share family ties with surprising populations, and all boast plenty of Neanderthal relatives

A Building That Kept Disease in Check

In the borough of Hackney, a 'disinfecting station' ostensibly kept the public safe from the spread of infectious illness

New Finds Challenge Where Human Culture Arose

The 105,000-year-old items may have held religious meaning

The Thorny Politics of Presidential Portraiture

In a new podcast, the National Portrait Gallery reveals that a portrait is being commissioned of the former president

How Italy Used Human Torpedoes to Attack British Ships

On December 16, 1941, the Italian navy launched a daring attack on three British ships outside Alexandria harbor. At the heart of the operation was a unique weapon: a human torpedo

Secrets of Europe's Oldest Modern Humans Revealed — Secrets of Europe's Oldest Modern Humans Revealed

Genome sequencing shows some individuals share family ties with surprising populations, and all boast plenty of Neanderthal relatives

A Building That Kept Disease in Check — A Building That Kept Disease in Check

In the borough of Hackney, a 'disinfecting station' ostensibly kept the public safe from the spread of infectious illness

New Finds Challenge Where Human Culture Arose — New Finds Challenge Where Human Culture Arose

The 105,000-year-old items may have held religious meaning

The Thorny Politics of Presidential Portraiture — The Thorny Politics of Presidential Portraiture

In a new podcast, the National Portrait Gallery reveals that a portrait is being commissioned of the former president

How Italy Used Human Torpedoes to Attack British Ships — How Italy Used Human Torpedoes to Attack British Ships

On December 16, 1941, the Italian navy launched a daring attack on three British ships outside Alexandria harbor. At the heart of the operation was a unique weapon: a human torpedo

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